FiLoveU

I'm an incoming Phd student in contemporary at one of the programs you mentioned and got into some of the others. While I went to a good, private liberal arts college (BA only), I flat out failed 2 classes in math/science which brought my gpa down to a 3.4 and I don't think it mattered. When I was admitted to programs they said they were impressed with my writing sample and my personal statement (I think strong recs helped too). If you're considering a program thats in Italy and half taught in French, I'm assuming you have some language proficiency—at least in French? That will help a lot I think! I also had museum internships that were mostly filing documents, I think programs liked that I was ambitious and wanted to familiarize myself with museums, and that they weren't turned-off that I hadn't curated a show. If you're comfortable paying for an MA you should bite the bullet and apply to a wide range of programs (phds and mas). Many PhD programs will defer you to the MA if you don't get in. Tufts and Williams are particularly expensive MAs and I know that people from Hunter and Tulane (fully funded!) also get into great PhDs. If you get into a PhD I wouldn't waste your time and money with an MA—even if you don't get into the most competitive PhD—especially because you're goal isn't to be an Ivy professor... other's might advise differently and I"m no expert!

He shouldn't have committed to CUNY so early, but doesn't have to go there for the next decade (or however long)! He should go wherever is right for him, its a huge decision! If he wants to accept Penn he'll have to send a very apologetic email to CUNY explaining his situation and might have to pay a small fine. I was talking with a Grad Center prof. who said that last year (maybe two years ago?) someone committed to both CUNY and an Ivy on April 15 and goes to the Ivy now... so it happens for sure. I believe Penn is stronger for Medieval Art (plus he can take class w/Alicia Walker at Bryn Mawr) and more money is more money and its overall easier to go to a private college and even better to go to an Ivy funding wise. One thing I've done when comparing programs and advisors is look through CAA's list of dissertations completed in the last few years. In each listing, the school and advisor's first initial and last name will appear in parentheses after the title, so you can do a "command+F" search for the right names. I then google search the student who wrote the dissertation and see what they're up to now (bearing in mind that a lot of other factors go into where people work).

So no one has heard from UPenn except that one acceptance from early Feb. right? What does it mean? It looks like they kept a waitlist in past years, is anyone thinking of calling and asking? I'm not holding my breath but would like to know!

would someone claim the Stony Brook admit and message me i have a secret question

@WRS looking back on the acceptances from this year and last year, I think that people on the gradcafe get deferred to MAPH... that is to say, people with real, strong cases for why they want to pursue an art history Ph.D. and are nutso enough for gradcafe have strong enough applications that when rejected for the Ph.D. are good enough for MAPH. I'm sure that places like UChicago get plenty of applications for Ph.D. programs that are kinda automatic throw aways, like that didn't have a writing sample, or are proposing something really unrelated, and those applications don't get deferred. Theres no reason for them not to want to educate people who are smart and willing to pay them. If you really love UChicago and either have funding or enough of your own money to get an MA without going into debt, I bet its worth looking into, maybe trying to figure out what Ph.D. programs grads from the MAPH get into, or even asking some of those students if they had better Ph.D. offers coming out of MAPH than they did before they got an MA. I think most people say "forgetaboutit" to the MAPH because they're weighing paying $100,000 to read books against getting paid (all be it minimum wage) to read books, even somewhere less "prestigious," but personally I think its valid for everyone to make financial and life decisions that make sense for them... but going into debt for a humanities degree I think is usually a bad idea.

I had to check my 'promotions" tab on my gmail to get a rejection/deferred to the MA, but I don't have a Decision Document link, so might be a good sign for you... good luck!

So generally I'm confused about people talking about "checking the portal" before the decision is sent out. Is checking the portal just going back to the link of the application? Like mine all say "submitted." BUT when I got rejected from USC it was like "make an account with the portal and then check your decision" and that was a different link than my application. so is there a way to check such a portal before getting an email telling you to check it?

@concombre I know BUT! Congrats, whoever you are!

@concombre @Mazinha88, two people got into U Chicago today https://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=art+history&t=a&o=

is it this? https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RK4iDBMdcTm73NJV28gDE6D4_hcjXpohTCThO9lRrQE/edit?usp=sharing

@warmmuffins, @artemisia says Bard says feb 15

@artemisia @KynaMeow I think one of you is talking about Bard and one of you is talking about NYU? Sorry if im wrong

Is it crazy to read it as a bad sign that you have been accepted to programs that are not your first choice, even though there's been no movement from programs that are your first choice (no interviews or acceptances posted yet). In other words, that a state school accepted you thinking "well he won't get into an Ivy that he'll pick over us, so accepting him isn't a risky move." my patience is wearing so thin and its not even February... maybe one of those opinionated posters from September who wasn't applying but arguing about "top schools" on this thread for some reason wants to weigh in...

Hey! I did and was accepted, a think one or two others were: https://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=art+history&t=a&o= PM me for any info. Re: why people aren't sharing info—personally, I'm paranoid about throwing anything onto the internet. If anyone got really specific about their acceptances or narrow area of interests, it would be really easy for a POI or department chair to decipher who you are. Not that we're doing anything wrong by being on this forum, but these posts are not our most thought out prose, and—at least for me—everything ever is super embarrassing! If you have multiple acceptances you don't necessarily want schools knowing about it... In all likelihood no one on the admissions committee is lurking on the GradCafe, but who knows! I applied to programs in modern and contemporary and have posted some acceptances, I am happy to talk to anyone on PM!